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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26355676">Save our Friend: Samurai Heart</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/victory_angel/pseuds/victory_angel'>victory_angel</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Yoroiden Samurai Troopers | Ronin Warriors</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Emotional Hurt, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Guiden, Hurt/Comfort, Ronin Warriors - Freeform, friends - Freeform</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 05:21:23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>16,499</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26355676</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/victory_angel/pseuds/victory_angel</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Aftermath to the events of Guiden, the Ronin Warriors find that while the battle to defeat Shikaisen has concluded a new battle is only just beginning with Sage of the Halo's very existence hanging in the balance. Please R &amp; R</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Save our Friend: Samurai Heart</p><p>
  <strong>A/N Hi faithful readers. For anyone wondering about the Ninja Turtles fics I'm working on, I'm still working on them. I've been busy with my art shop on and right now I'm on a bit of a nostalgia binge with an Anime I liked years ago called "Armor Legend Samurai Troopers" AKA Ronin Warriors. This series is currently celebrating its 30th anniversary.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>For anyone who has never heard of this series, the basic premise is similar to Sailor Moon in that you have five teenagers -in this case five boys- who are fated to be drawn together to save the world from an evil otherworldly force with mystical objects that will grant them the power to do so. For this series the five warriors have mystical armors passed down through each of their families.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Looking back on this series I see a number of similarities to the Ninja Turtles series. Particularly how they will tease each other or make snide comments in someone's general direction. And yet the five of them develop a unity in heart and mind through the battles they have endured creating a familial bond between them that can never break.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Perhaps it would be possible for me to write a crossover in some form in the future.</strong>
</p><p>I don't Ronin Warriors. This series belongs to its respective creators all rights reserved.</p><p>The five ronin, Mia, and Yuli all exited the underground chamber without a second look. There were no words exchanged among the seven of them. Mia and Yuli walked ahead of the group, Kento following close after ready to take on any further threats if they were present.</p><p>Ryo was close behind, in his arms, he cradled the body of Luna with a sorrowful look on his face. Words couldn't express how he felt about her death.</p><p>Mentally he cursed himself, she wanted to avenge her brother that was understandable. She had wanted to help them, that was also understandable. Still, things didn't need to turn out this way. She was an innocent who had knowingly involved herself in their battles all the while still having no understanding of who they really were.</p><p>Mia and Yuli understood the risks of being around them having followed the five warriors in their battles against the Dynasty. As much as they wanted to assist in any way possible, even they understood there were some battles where they would be more of a distraction than a help. He hadn't wanted to bring Luna with them because he knew she would only get hurt or killed because of it.</p><p>He had said it himself, they would be walking into what was more than likely a trap and he didn't know if any of them would be able to come out of it alive. Perhaps he could have said something, done something that could have convinced her to stay in New York. Perhaps then he could have told the dark-skinned girl they had gotten her vengeance. At least then she wouldn't be dead in his arms. Still, without her none of them would have made it out of Shikaisen's lair. She had saved them but she had still paid the ultimate price for it.</p><p>Sage trudged some paces behind Ryo. His arms wrapped around himself as though he was cold his gaze turned towards the ground as though he couldn't bring himself to even look at his companions.</p><p>Rowen and Cye brought up the rear and would glance at each other worriedly. They were familiar enough with the Warrior of Halo to know he was quiet by nature, but this was too quiet even for him. It also didn't take the armors to notice the waves of humiliation, self-loathing, and grief that appeared to form a miasma of negative emotion around the blond warrior.</p><p>It was only natural that he would have such feelings as it was his armor that was used to people. Forced to endure days of subliminal torture and other things as it happened. All the while that scientist who worked with Shikaisen taunted him and goaded him into revealing more and more of the powers and secrets of the Halo Armor.</p><p>Rowen was quite sure he didn't need to possess his IQ of 250 to know that while one battle was over, the battle for Sage's very soul was only just starting. He had known it from the moment that Yuli and Mia had stopped the Scientist from electrocuting them. After cutting their civilian companions free, he rushed to where Sage hung crucified against a six-pointed star.</p><p>The Warrior of Strata felt a myriad of emotions as he took in the full horror of what had been done to the older boy. The last time he had felt this way was when he had found his missing companions in the dungeons Talpa's castle. The memory of finding Sage, Cye, and Kento all drained to the point that their consciousness was being absorbed by their armors. That was a sight that would forever haunt the Warrior of the Heavens waking nightmares. But now...he could feel his heart break at seeing someone he knew to be so strong to be in such a weakened and broken state now.</p><p>Sage was completely drained and pale almost to the point of death. He hardly looked like he was even breathing. Hesitantly the blue-haired boy reached out and lightly pressed his fingers along Sage's throat. He needed a sign...something to tell him they weren't too late. Something to tell him they hadn't failed their companion when he needed them most. He was rewarded with the soft thrum of Sage's heartbeat, it was slow, like the heartbeat of a person in a deep slumber. Rowen suspected that the blond must have entered into a meditative trance as a means to withstand the days of torture. Even then the blue-haired warrior could feel that slow heartbeat was strained as though it was fighting to keep beating.</p><p>Rowen wanted nothing more than to skewer the Mad Scientist Ryo was restraining with one of his arrows. To see the older man suffer everything Sage had gone through. But he couldn't, while evil, the Mad Scientist was a normal human. He may as well be pointing an arrow at his scientist father. The Scientist would be dealt with soon enough, Sage needed him at that moment.</p><p>Reaching out he ripped aside the various tubes injecting gods knew what into the swordsman's bloodstream, as well as the wires and health monitoring equipment before he gingerly pulled his friend's body from off the star. Cradling the blond-haired boy in his arms like a baby. Even holding him like this the older boy felt fragile as though he would break if Rowen made a wrong move.</p><p>"Sage…" Rowen had said his companion's name, hoping to gain some response. He was quickly rewarded as Sage's eyes had opened, their gray-blue depths dulled with exhaustion and pain, but still alert enough to recognize who was with him.</p><p>"You came...to save me," The Warrior of Halo had managed to say as an exhausted but relieved smile crossed his face.</p><p>"We're all here for you buddy," Rowen had soothingly responded, letting the older boy know that all the Ronin Warriors were there in force to rescue and protect one of their own. While the two of them were as close as brothers, Rowen was well aware that the way he was holding the other boy was rather awkward. Allowing him to get to his feet, Sage calmly rested against one of the beams supporting the platform as he started regaining his strength. There were no words exchanged between the two boys. What they had to focus on was defeating the enemy, destroying the computer and all the information gathered about the Halo Armor, and leaving this place. Only then could they begin to resolve everything that had happened.</p><p>The battle, however, took a turn south when Shikaisen had appeared. The blue-haired warrior knew from the moment the old demonic sorcerer started speaking Sage would not just sit aside and let his companions handle things. The look of furious anger that Rowen could see filling Sage's eyes was something he had come quite familiar with in the war against the Dynasty.</p><p>The Warrior of Halo could fight like a dragon unrestrained at the best of times. But at that moment even Date Masamune himself would have been embarrassed by the need for wrathful vengeance that was clouding his descendant's judgment. It also was somewhat ironic since Sage was the one who often preached about the ills of letting anger dictate someone's actions during the battles against Talpa and his forces.</p><p>"I hope you're ready for some payback, Shikaisen," Sage had growled as he held on to one of the platform's support beams.</p><p>"Not yet, you're still too weak," Rowen had cautioned, a protest that went unheeded as Sage summoned his armor. The major issue Warrior of Light had unfortunately overlooked in his righteous fury was that Shikaisen was already familiar with the Armor of Halo and its abilities. Something the dark wizard hadn't hesitated in gloating about as he took on the blond-haired warrior with the air of someone swatting aside a mosquito. That was before he intoned a spell imprisoning the five of them so their armors could be studied by the Scientist's computer.</p><p>They were able to break free but at another heavy cost. Luna, the girl who had insisted on coming with them from New York had struck out at Shikaisen only to be shot by the Scientist. This enabled Mia to unlock the Scientist's computer that was converging with the magic enabling them all to break free. Ryo had rushed to where Luna lay sprawled on the ground, where she had died in his arms. Sage hadn't met Luna or known why she was with them. Still, the blue-haired warrior wouldn't have been surprised if she also was added to the list of people the blond-haired boy felt responsible for.</p><p>Up ahead, Ryo placed Luna's body underneath a tree. The girl looked so peaceful in death that she may as well have been sleeping. Kneeling down the dark-haired boy undid the gold ribbon tied in her hair while Mia, Yuli, and the rest of them watched sorrowfully.</p><p>"I'm sorry, Luna," Ryo softly said to her. "I wish things didn't end like this. I just hope that wherever you are in the next world, you are with your brother again." Standing up once more, Ryo turned to his companions</p><p>"Wait, we're just gonna leave her here?" Kento asked. He hadn't forgiven Luna for trashing his uncle's restaurant so she could deliberately attack Rowen. But even he didn't feel right just up and leaving her in some random spot.</p><p>"We can't take her with us," Ryo said reluctantly. "I don't like it any better than you do, but what choice do we have. One of the things she told me before we left for L.A. was that there was no one left for her in New York. I don't know if it's true she actually didn't have anyone. What I do know is the authorities here would be able to do more for her then we can."</p><p>Having no more reason to wear their sub-armor he reverted back into his civilian clothes. The other warriors immediately followed suit. Sage had just returned to the white silk blouse and tan trousers he had been wearing on the day of his capture when he suddenly staggered backward before he started to collapse.</p><p>"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Rowen yelled out as he rushed forward, catching Sage's body as it fell. Gently he lowered himself to a kneeling position as he cradled the blond-haired boy against him. "Hold on, I've got ya." Cye knelt down with his two friends in concern. Placing the back of his hand against Sage's forehead briefly before shaking it out as though trying to waving away a burn. All the while letting out a concerned breath.</p><p>"Sage!" Ryo yelled in alarm as he saw his companion collapse. Both Ryo and Kento rushed to their side of their friends. Mia and Yuli walked up also equally concerned but wanted to give the five warriors some space.</p><p>"Is he okay?" Kento asked.</p><p>"He's running a high temperature," Cye explained as he stood up. "Likely due to all the stress brought on by the torture he's endured since Shikaisen captured him. Our armor gear gives us extra endurance so we are more able to do and experience things that would instantly kill a regular person."</p><p>"So when we removed our armor, it…" Ryo stated in realization as he knelt down with his two companions. "It must have removed the boost it was giving him and that's why he collapsed."</p><p>"Hang on guys," Kento said. "I'll go call 119."</p><p>"119 is the Japanese emergency number," Cye pointed out. "It would be 911 here, I believe."</p><p>"Taking him to a hospital wouldn't be a good idea anyway," Rowen said as he worriedly rested his cheek against the top of the blond's head. "It's more likely to trigger memories of what he's gone through. A better idea is to find someplace where we all can actually rest and recover."</p><p>"Right," Mia answered with an affirming nod. "I'll go book some rooms at a hotel, we can return to New York when Sage's fever is broken and he's strong enough to travel."</p><p>Rowen, Ryo, and Cye all exchanged looks with one another that suggested they knew Sage's recovery would require more healing than just bed rest.</p><hr/><p>In the span of an hour, a hotel was booked and everyone had gotten situated in their rooms. Cye, Ryo, Rowen, Mia, and Yuli were all gathered worriedly around Sage's bedside. Cye was sitting on the side of the mattress, his hand gently resting on top of Sage's.</p><p>"Just rest my friend," The warrior of trust softly said as Ryo and Rowen quietly and mournfully looked on.</p><p>"Mia," Yuli asked as he looked up at the older woman. "Sage will be okay, right?"</p><p>"Right now, that's up to Sage," Rowen answered. "I don't know everything that went on down there, and I don't think I want to know. What I do know is that he needs to be given whatever time he needs to sort himself out."</p><p>"Finally found the ice machine," Kento said as he arrived with the room's ice bucket. "You would think they'd put it somewhere more obvious, it literally took me ten minutes to find the damn thing."</p><p>"I'll take it from here," Cye responded as he stood up and took the bucket from Kento so he could set to work on making a cold compress.</p><p>"The four of you have been through a lot today," Mia commented. "I can watch over him while all of you get some sleep." No one argued as they all left the room in various states of exhaustion brought on by their recent battle as well as the exhaustion brought on by the worry they felt for their friend.</p><p>Cye left last the room last as he placed the cool dampened cloth across Sage's burning forehead. He regarded the other boy a few seconds as though feeling guilty that they were leaving him alone. He dismissed this guilt as the four of them would only be just a room away. As he left he paused at the door, there was something that had been eating at him since the moment he heard Ryo wake up screaming out Sage's name. At the time Cye had assumed it was a nightmare brought about by Ryo's concerns that one of them was in danger, but now that he thought about it perhaps there was a deeper meaning. Perhaps something shared between all the armors.</p><p>"Mia," Cye asked, turning to the older girl. "Is there anything in your Grandfather's data files about a connection between the Wildfire and Halo armors?"</p><p>"Not that I remember," Mia responded thoughtfully, "All the armors are connected to each other so it's possible, but what sort of connection exactly?"</p><p>"Is it possible for those two armors, in particular, to have a psychic...I guess you can call it a telepathic connection to one another?" Cye asked. "It's just that during our war against the Dynasty, we could always sense one another and feel when one of us was hurt. But Sage was the most perceptive of the four of us when it came to Ryo. There were even times Sage seemed to be able to read Ryo's thoughts. So I wondered if there was a connection between their armors that the others didn't possess.</p><p>"I see," Mia responded, her brow furrowed in contemplation as she tried to mentally scroll through what she had been taught about the Armors. "I can't say for sure, there aren't any records of the armors that were forged by the Ancient One, the five of you would be the only people who understand how they work. Still, the armors do gain power and strength every time you fight. Perhaps if a telepathic connection between Sage and Ryo does exist, it's only because their armors felt one should exist."</p><hr/><p>"I really don't get what you guys are so worried about," Kento said as he sprawled out on one of the two beds in their designated room. Rowen, Ryo were seated together on the second bed, their faces drawn with concern. Cye closed the hotel room's door behind him before he took a seat on the bed where Kento was sprawled. Like his other two companions, he was greatly worried about the fallen warrior who rested in the room next door. "Once Sage's fever breaks, things will be back to normal again."</p><p>"I have a feeling that it won't be that easy," Rowen answered. "This fever is only the tip of the iceberg, there is a real battle starting to take place and Sage is gonna need all the help he can get."</p><p>"But.." Kento started to say. "But when we were prisoners...Sage was able to handle everything. Heck, he was the one coaching me and Cye through it by telling us to keep calm and reminding us that you two were coming to get us."</p><p>"There is a big difference between then and now, Kento," Cye pointed out. "We had already faced the Dynasty before any of us were captured and tortured, so we already had some idea about what they were capable of. Also, there were three of us so we weren't undergoing the torture they were putting us through completely alone."</p><p>Ryo hugged himself and his shoulders shook at the comparison between the events they suffered at the hands of the Dynasty and what had happened now. Sage had faced an unknown danger and suffered under it completely alone. If the vision that had horrified him just days ago was a sample of what the blond warrior was experiencing, Ryo didn't even want to imagine what Sage had to experience for days on end as he waited for his friends to come to his aid. Rowen placed a comforting hand on Ryo's shoulder, while he hadn't been privy to the vision Ryo had experienced. He knew in his heart that whatever had happened it was inhuman, the only thing that Sage was able to cling to was that his friends would come for him.</p><p>"You guys also weren't imprisoned in the Dynasty for very long" Rowen added. "We'd been separated for around a day and a half before Kyura informed me that you guys had been captured. Time passes more slowly in the Netherworld, so for you, it would have been a day or two at most before the five of us were reunited. While at least a week must have passed in the mortal world for Yuli and Mia."</p><p>"That news report had said those murders caused by the Halo Armor happened the previous week. " Ryo commented as he shamefully looked towards the floor. "If none of us had seen that report, I don't think we would even have gotten to him."</p><p>"Actually that isn't really true," Rowen mentioned. "We all knew about what was going on because Mia told the four of us about that after you left. And we knew you well enough to know you would have gotten it into your head about going to New York on your own. So we all made plans to head you off, Mia, Yuli, and I took the earliest plane to New York we could, while Cye and Kento would catch you when you arrived at the airport. Originally on the night of your birthday, I had made arrangements to stay over at Cye's apartment since I wouldn't be able to catch a train back to where I live in Osaka before morning."</p><p>"Right, I didn't mention that when we were on the plane." Cye answered, "The last time Mia had spoken to Sage was when she was informing him about the surprise party we were planning for your Birthday. He had told Mia he would be headed to New York, but he should be back in Japan in time to join us. After we put our plan into place, Mia had placed a call to Sage's family to learn what she could about his visit to New York or if he had informed them about what was going on and got in touch with Sage's older sister, Yayoi. From what she was able to tell Mia and Rowen, Sage had lost communication with his family not long after he should have arrived in New York. They had called the hotel where he was supposedly going to stay during his time there, only to learn there weren't any reservations for anyone under the name of Date. The same was true for any reservations supposedly arranged by Columbia University."</p><p>"Sage had given her Mia's number before he left as a means to contact us if anything happened to him." Rowen continued the story. "From the sound of things everyone was worried and had no idea where he was or why he went missing."</p><p>"Older sister, huh…" Kento wondered aloud. "I wonder what she's like."</p><p>"Basic summary would be to imagine Sage...as a girl." Rowen seemed to wince at the statement. Kento's eyes bugged out in response as he shot up into a sitting position.</p><p>"Okay…now that is scary," Kento said much too much to the amusement of Cye and Ryo. "Oh man, now I think I'm gonna have nightmares, thanks for the warning."</p><p>"I've never met her personally, but that's the basic impression I got when I heard Mia talking with her over the phone," Rowen admitted. "She does have the same formal way of speaking Sage does, and from what Sage has said about her she is also rather talented at kendo."</p><p>"Does she swing around a nodachi sword too?" Kento groused.</p><p>"She uses a Nagamaki, I think" Rowen stated. "I'm not sure."</p><p>"Oh," Kento responded "I guess it's too bad she wasn't with us during the war. Mia and Yuli could have had her around for protection."</p><p>"We all had agreed that our lives as ronin and our family lives had to be separate" Ryo reminded. "People who know about the armors or involve themselves with us are put in danger or wind up dead, that's happened to Mia's grandfather and now that's happened to Luna. I can understand some of us have people in our lives who are aware of the armor legend. But the more involved they are the more danger that exists for them."</p><p>"At least you two don't need to worry about that." Kento pointed out. "Your dad's are workaholics. And Rowen, your mother is a globe-trotting journalist. Cye's got his Mother, Older Sister, and brother-in-law to worry about in Hagi, while Sage and I have large families of our own."</p><p>"It's not just our families we have to concern ourselves with," Rowen answered. "It's one thing to keep our own families out of the loop on what we are doing. It's another for people who aren't familiar with us. Remember in New York, when we were fighting Sage's Armor, the police and the national guard were after us because we were causing a public disturbance. And as far as the authorities knew we could have been just as much of a threat to the city as the Halo Armor."</p><p>"He does have a point," Cye pointed out. "No country in the world is going to accept knowing that a suit of mystical armor exists, let alone five of them. They would be even less accepting that these armors are in the possession of people they are only going to classify as children."</p><p>"That scientist that was working for Shikaisen was studying Sage's armor as well as ours," Ryo added. "We are fortunate that our armors would be impossible for him to recreate and use for his own ideals. I don't need to tell you guys what would happen if he could study and market our armors to the American Military or wherever."</p><p>"Because it would only bring maggots like Talpa back," Kento said. "We know how destructive our armor can be and seeing how dangerous Sage's armor was while Shikaisen controlled it. I'd hate to see any of our armors in the hands of someone who didn't understand them."</p><p>"From the look of things they were using subliminal torture on Sage," Rowen stated worriedly. "Guys, this is bad. Really, really, bad. That means they were trying to break his mind in order for him to bend to their will."</p><p>"I know," Ryo admitted, his voice turning anxious with concern. "I witnessed some of the torture he went through a couple of days ago. I had thought it was all just a horrible dream then, but…"</p><p>"I remember that," Cye pointed out. "I had assumed you were just having a rather intense nightmare, but could it have been Sage or perhaps his armor was somehow projecting what was going on to you."</p><p>"I don't know," Ryo said as he shook his head in frustration. "I don't even know how to describe what I saw him going through. I just know it was awful and I hate knowing he had to endure even one day of that. If we hadn't gotten to him in time..."</p><p>"Hey, what matters is we got to him when we did," Kento stated, trying to encourage optimism. "It's not like we haven't had to help him battle his inner-demons before. We just use our armors, enter his mind again and give anything that bugging him a good beating"</p><p>"We might end up doing that," Ryo sighed. "But at that time those were all personal doubts and fears he was struggling with and had to face within himself. We didn't need to do anything, he had to find the powers of our virtues in his own heart in order to deal with them. Entering his mind this time, we might find worse than just personal demons pulling him towards death."</p><p>"What struck me as strange with all that has been going on now, is Shikaisen had said he wasn't aware there were five armors when we first encountered him." Cye pondered. "Most of the beings we have fought in the past have always been aware there were five of us. But how did Shikaisen learn about Sage's armor to begin with? He or that Scientist certainly went to the trouble of getting in contact with him just so they could capture him."</p><p>"Yeah," Rowen agreed "I guess we'll never know. What is worrying me more is what's going to happen now?"</p><p>"What do ya mean?" Kento asked as he maneuvered himself so he was sitting next to Cye.</p><p>"You remember that time during our first war with the Dynasty," Rowen supplied. "The time you told us that our armors came from the same place the Warlords armor did.."</p><p>"Oh yeah, how could I forget?" Kento sighed despondently. "When I was a kid there were loads of manga that I liked and I always wanted to be like the heroes of those stories. They were so powerful and strong as they protected the world around them, and it didn't matter if their efforts weren't recognized by other people. They knew they were making a difference and that was all that mattered. So when I first received my armor I was proud to have it because I felt I would be doing some good in this world. I would be protecting my loved ones and the innocent like I was Nizawa Okasho from "Honor of the Ruthless". Still when Talpa and Dais told me that the Ronin Armors were cut from the same cloth as the Warlords and the more we fight the more powerful and bloodthirsty we would become, that struck me. I had never questioned how my family even had the armor, or why, or even where it came from. I just knew it had chosen me and I was meant to use its power to protect my family, my city, and my home. Learning that it originally came from evil and was sought by people who wanted to use its power for their own selfish desires. It made me fear that if I used and depended on the armor I would eventually become corrupted by its power."</p><p>"Yeah," Ryo agreed. "I knew the armors were powerful and in the hands of the Dynasty, their power would be devastating. When you told us that the armors were actually products of the Dynasty I didn't know how to believe it either. After all the armors were given to your families by the Ancient One in order for us to protect and defend the Mortal Realm, the whole thing about them being evil had to have been a hoax to get us to doubt ourselves and our armors."</p><p>"It feels like there is so much the Ancient One neglected to tell us," Cye commented somewhat bitterly. "While it is the soul of the armors chosen bearer that determined the path the armor led, and we were all chosen because we were pure of heart. Isn't it still possible that the armors could end up being just as much of a curse as they are a blessing? If the Ancient wasn't forthcoming with everything we should have known, who is to say everything the Dynasty told Kento about our armor eventually corrupting us was all a lie. "</p><p>"That's just it, we don't know if everything they had said was a lie." Rowen sighed. "There are a lot of things about the armors that the Ancient One probably should have told us when he had the chance. He probably didn't know how to because a lot of it would essentially be admitting he was using us all for his own ends in the battles against the Dynasty. But there were also a number of things he couldn't teach us because we had to discover that in ourselves and in one another. Yet if you think about it, our families are just as responsible in the paths we lead now as the Ancient One was."</p><p>"Uh, Rowen," Ryo asked. "What are you getting at?"</p><p>"Ever since we were small, we all had been marked by our armors in some way to show we were chosen by them." Rowen stated. "This mark isn't always visible, but it does give us abilities or features that are uniquely attributed to us."</p><p>"Like Whiteblaze," Ryo said. "He's the familiar of the Ancient One, I first encountered him when I was four years old, then he appeared to me again when I was seven, he didn't become a companion to me until I was about Yuli's age. It was the winter of that year that he led the Ancient One to me."</p><p>"So your family didn't have an armor legend?" Cye asked.</p><p>"If they did, I didn't know about it." Ryo said. "I don't know anything about the clan I'm from aside from the fact the Sanada Clan had been a Ninja Clan. My dad left them long before I was born. So I would say it was Whiteblaze who chose me to be the bearer of the Wildfire armor, not any family legend passed through the generations."</p><p>"I don't remember being marked in any way," Kento said.</p><p>"You have a higher physical endurance than most people," Cye pointed out. "And I've always had a strong connection to the sea even before I received my armor. My family has been protecting the Hagi sea for generations, so I thought that was why I always felt drawn to it."</p><p>"How do you explain being able to swim to the bottom without an air tank," Kento asked.</p><p>"I honestly never thought about it." Cye admitted.</p><p>"Both Sage and I are physically marked by our armors." Rowen stated as he grabbed the long forelock that always hung in front of his face as indication. "So that offered some indication of what we were meant to become."</p><p>"Wait, your blue hair is natural?!" Kento stated. "I always assumed it was a crazy dye job."</p><p>"Nope, it's always been naturally blue." Rowen sighed. "Though it is easier to just let people believe it's dyed, it causes fewer headaches then trying to explain it. Even if we weren't visibly marked by our armor, we still could have unconsciously or unknowingly been trained so we would be able to prove ourselves worthy of bearing our armors. I learned archery from my grandfather when I would visit him at his shrine during summer vacations."</p><p>"By shrine...do you mean the shine of security." Ryo remembered.</p><p>"Yes," Rowen said. "You've been there."</p><p>"I had a feeling you were somewhere nearby when Cye and I were waiting there to regroup with Sage and Kento." Ryo responded. "I guess I could sense you there because it was a place associated with you."</p><p>"It's funny though," Cye commented. "I never really pegged you as someone who would be involved with spiritual practice."</p><p>"I'm not," Rowen said. "Not entirely, I've always had more of an interest in learning and understanding it, not really being involved in it. Though as you've seen some things have rubbed off such as how when I need my armor to do something in particular I pray over one of my arrows to imbue it with power."</p><p>"Okay, this is getting weird," Kento said. "Sage being able to sense and hear things I understand because he's into kendo and all the spiritual stuff that goes with it, but Ryo sensing things or you having spiritual powers."</p><p>"We do have a connection between our armors," Cye pointed out. "Perhaps the three of them are more attuned to it then we are."</p><p>"You may be onto something about the armors being just as much of a curse as they were a gift, Cye." Rowen said changing the subject. They were stumbling onto subject matter that he was considering but not ready to discuss at that point. "When the Ancient One confirmed that the armors were the same as the Warlords, that was news that was devastating to each of us. Still we had the guiding virtues that had been instilled in our armors to ensure that regardless of where they originated the armors themselves would serve the forces of good. Even then that might not be enough to truly seal away Talpa's evil, so yes we ourselves could still become victims of our armors in time. That was something I know we all were worried about when we first learned about what was going on."</p><p>"I couldn't believe Sage would honestly do anything so horrible," Ryo agreed. "I knew something had to have happened to him."</p><p>"After Mia had told us about that news report none of it made sense to me." Rowen admitted. "The Sage I know would never have snapped out of the blue, not without reason. The only way he would have turned towards evil is if he was forced to somehow. Such as how Kyura had that amulet to keep her under Talpa's control. When Kento and I confronted the Halo armor, even I began to wonder if Sage really had gone crazy somehow. The armors couldn't be used by someone else unless it's current bearer was no longer alive and even then the armor itself determined who its next master was. The only other possibility was Ryo's theory that this was the Halo Armor, but Sage wasn't controlling it."</p><p>"Or someone created an evil duplicate of the Halo armor," Cye suggested. "That's how Sekhmet captured me during the second war, he had used his armor's poison to create an evil version of my armor. I defeated it but I was greatly weakened and taken prisoner."</p><p>"In New York it was like the Halo Armor was acting on its own," Kento said. "It felt like it had no real direction other than destruction."</p><p>"Yeah," Rowen answered. "That was what bothered me most, the fact it was just his armor at least confirmed to me that Sage hadn't gone nuts and betrayed us. Still, the fact that Shikaisen was trying to control his armor worried me, after all we are able to feel when we feel our powers being used by someone else."</p><p>"Like with that sword that Talpa created with our powers when we were imprisoned in the Dynasty." Cye pointed out. "Everytime it was used on the two of you we could feel it affect us."</p><p>"Yes," Rowen stated. "Shikaisen was using the deaths of the people he killed to become stronger and was wanting Sage's armor to cause more damage. That Mad Scientist who was working for Shikaisen was trying to break Sage into revealing more and more secrets of his armor. I didn't need to feel the armor connection to know how all of this is affecting him. This is not something he's gonna get over easily even with our help. If I was in his place and my armor was being used against my will to do evil things, once I was free I would have difficulty believing the power of my armor because it would feel tainted and no longer connected to its virtue. On top of that I'd feel embarrassed that I was even sent into something that in hindsight could only have been a trap. And angry at myself for the fact that blood of innocent people was on my hands. Even if I wasn't the one actually killing them, I would still see myself as responsible for their deaths."</p><p>"Wait...Sent?" Kento asked, surprised. Rowen, Ryo, and Cye all regarded Kento as though irritated that he didn't really grasp the obvious. "Come on, I know the dude does have a thing for swords I just naturally assumed he would have volunteered to go check it out."</p><p>"He's lived his whole life around them so they would be a personal interest," Ryo stated. "But he isn't blindly interested in them. Remember he was usually the one who pointed out when we were headed into something dangerous."</p><p>"His family also would have records about the swords associated with them" Cye pointed "So if it was something lost or stolen they likely would have known. And there are books that do have listed mon sigils, so why would Columbia University have a Japanese Sword with the TakeniSuzume emblem in their possession only to have a student point out that it was connected to the Date Family."</p><p>"Even if the sword itself was a fake," Rowen added. "His grandfather likely would have considered this as a diplomatic endeavor and would have insisted Sage go as a representative of their family, he'd have to since he's the chosen heir. From what Mia told me when she had called him to inform him about the party. He told her he was going to New York on family business, if things go as planned he should be back in time. The "If things go as planned." line is a veiled statement that he wanted one of us to pick up on, I'm sure of it. He knew he was headed into something rough and wanted to make sure we could find him."</p><p>"But…" Kento started to say, but everything he could come up with was immediately counter acted.</p><p>"He couldn't contact us based on a hunch alone," Rowen said. "If he had a feeling that something was up, that is something that shouldn't be taken lightly. But we can't do anything if we don't know what sort of danger we would be facing ourselves."</p><p>"And he was also protecting us," Cye added "At any point he could have revealed that four other armors existed, but he didn't. He let Shikaisen assume his armor was the only Ronin Armor before he learned about ours."</p><p>"That's what you meant when you said that if Sage is alright again,"Ryo pointed out. "If he moves past all this at all it would be up to him."</p><p>"Yeah," Rowen gave a distressed sounding sigh. "Everything that's happened with Shikaisen has delivered a serious blow to his Spirit. It will take all of us to help him through this, but ultimately if he heals or lets it destroy him that is his choice."</p><p>Reaching into his pocket Ryo pulled out the red orb that encased his armor. These orbs had brought about so much pain and misery, but at the same time, it still brought so much good with them as well.</p><p>"We should follow Mia's advice and get some rest first." Ryo stated as he put the orb down on the bedside table in between the two hotel beds. Rowen, Cye, and Kento all followed suit as they also placed down their armor orbs. The four armors glowed in response to each other as each of the four boys curled down on the beds and went to sleep.</p><p>Cye softly cried in grief for their companion one room over. Kento wrapped an arm around his best friend to comfort him, though a troubled expression didn't leave his face as he closed his eyes.</p><p>Rowen put his hand against the wall separating him from his other friends, This was a battle Sage had to fight on his own and it wasn't going to be an easy fight. Still he wished he could do so much more in helping his companion recover from Shikaisen's torture.</p><p>Settling down he closed his eyes and went to sleep.</p><p>~We can't lose you, Sage~ Ryo mentally said following Rowen's gesture of putting his hand against the wall separating them from their companions. ~You've always been there for us when we've needed you. Let us be there for you now.~</p><p>Moving away from the wall, Ryo settled beside Rowen on the bed. His face holding a saddened frown. There had been so many times when his friends had been lost to him over the last few years, but each time it happened it hurt like it was the first time he had lost them. This time was no exception. He couldn't help feeling like he had let Sage down the worst of all. If he had known what the Warrior of Halo was going through sooner, if they had gotten to him a week ago. Maybe they would have all been celebrating his birthday with all his friends by his side. Maybe they would have been planning the next time the five of them could get together as friends. There were so many things that plagued his mind. He just hoped they would be able to fix the damage done to Sage's spirit before it was too late.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sage stood before five graves, one each emblazoned with the names of his companions and himself. Behind these open graves were numerous filled in graves, the names blurry and unreadable as they belonged to every unknown man, woman, and child who had lost their lives to the power of his armor. The graves that would have gone to Mia and Yuli had long since vanished.</p><p>The Warrior of Halo couldn't be sure, but if using Mia and Yuli and maybe the other Ronin had been Shikaisen's plan to break him. What was to stop the Dark Sorcerer and his scientist from eventually targeting his family. His parents, grandparents, and sisters could have been targeted as a means of encouraging him to give up the resistance he was maintaining. After his grandfather had been sent a notice about that sword that was supposedly connected to his family to his grandfather knowing that he would be sent out. His mother and older sister wouldn't be easy to trap, but his younger sister maybe his father…he at least could have taken faith that it hadn't come to their involvement.</p><p>While Mia or Rowen had contacted his family like he suspected they would. It did mean his precautions had been effective, but that also meant his companions were headed into the same danger he was. Fortunately, they had the advantage, Shikaisen hadn't suspected there were more armors aside from the Halo Armor. Even if the dark sorcerer overpowered his companions, there was still the advantage of the Inferno Armor. The jury was still out as to whether the White Armor was something they could trust, but it had helped them numerous times in the past.</p><p>While he knew he was found by his companions, and Shikaisen had met his end. He wasn't ready to face his friends, not after what he was responsible for. One of these graves had to be filled in in order to achieve retribution. How could he hope to face his companions after all this? How can he call himself a Ronin Warrior if his armor was tainted and no longer connected to it's guiding virtue? Walking towards the grave that bore his name he plunged into the darkened void of his mind. He just hoped his friends would find it in their hearts to forgive this choice, but he knew this had to happen. There was something...something calling out to him and he needed to face it...only then could his wounded soul slumber.</p><hr/><p>Yuli was asleep and the conversation the other ronin were having in the next room had quieted just moments ago. Mia sighed to herself as she rinsed and wrung out the washcloth in the ice water bucket as she replaced it on Sage's forehead. Sage's fever hadn't grown any higher, but it hasn't lessened either. She had been tempted to call the hotel concierge to see if there were medical personnel that could help but stopped herself. Bringing in a doctor would lead to too many questions that they didn't know how to let alone even want to answer.</p><p>When she did pick up the phone, it was to call a number she had recently acquired. Looking at the clock and noting that it was after one am. In Japan, it would be after five in the evening so she wouldn't be disturbing the person she was calling, fortunately. She would have preferred calling when they were all back in Japan, but she had to let someone in Sage's family know that he had been found. Given the late hour, she knew she couldn't talk for very long, but it would still give them some news that could ease their minds. Dialing the number she heard it ring one...twice. As it started to ring again Mia was about to resign to the fact she would only be able to leave a voicemail when the phone was answered.</p><p>"Yes... Date Yayoi speaking," The voice of Sage's older sister responded. Mia almost laughed to herself at hearing the feminine voice speaking in the same formal tone Sage often used. It made her wonder if everyone in the blond warriors' immediate family were like this or if it was limited to certain individuals.</p><p>"Hello, Yayoi" Mia stated. "This is Mia Koji, we spoke a few days ago."</p><p>"Mia? Oh right, Mia," The other girl said. "You're Sage's friend."</p><p>"One of them at least," Mia replied. "You asked that I keep you informed if any of us found any news as to what happened to him."</p><p>"Yes," Yoyoi said. "Everyone is worried, Satsuki is practically beside herself, the poor kid. If you have any news we could use it."</p><p>"He's been found," Mia explained. "I don't know how to explain who kidnapped him or why, but we did find him…"</p><p>"Let me cut you off right there," Yayoi answered. "I gather the reason Sage disappeared is related to the mystical armor that's supposedly been past down through our family."</p><p>"Wait, you..you know?" Mia nearly dropped the phone in shock. She had learned about the Ronin Armors through her Grandfather, she hadn't expected the families of the warriors themselves to have the same level familiarity with the legend.</p><p>"Of course," Yayoi explained. "My Grandfather had taught Sage, Satsuki, and myself about the armor when we were kids. I had trouble believing the story because I've never been particularly fond of fairy tales. But there has been a lot of stuff going on that has no other explanation, such as the reports that Giant Castle hovering in the sky over the city Tokyo and how all communication with the city was lost. I still have my doubts, but that is the only thing that seems to make any sort of plausibility."</p><p>"Really," Mia answered as she regained her composure, though she still didn't know how aware the Date family was with recent events."Has anyone from your family seen the article in the news about what's been going on in New York."</p><p>"The article about that Green Armor that had..." Yayoi started to answer before she suddenly gasped as she connected the dots. "Wait...please tell me Sage wasn't…"</p><p>"It's all a very long and complicated story I'm afraid." Mia sighed. "I wish I could tell you everything that has happened, but what your grandfather has told you about the armors is true, Sage is the chosen bearer of the Halo Armor. This might sound crazy but a Dark Sorcerer named Shikaisen had learned about his mystic armor somehow and lured him to New York so he could capture him. He was being tortured in order to force him to reveal all of its powers and secrets."</p><p>"You're right, that does sound crazy." Yayoi answered, "But yet, Sage had suggested he could be walking into unknown danger. Something appeared to be seriously bothering him because he made a point to approach me and gave me your number as someone to contact if something happened."</p><p>"We were all able to find him," Mia stated as she was ready to end the conversation. "He's currently recovering from everything he's gone through and I don't know how soon he will be able to return home. The experience he went through was fairly extensive and traumatic. The other armor-bearers will do what they can for him, but I don't think he will fully recover from everything thats happened."</p><p>"I...I see…" The older girl said. There was an odd regretful sounding tone in her voice that caught Mia's attention. It sounded as though she felt responsible for something that may have happened to her brother in the past. "Before you hang up, let me just say this," the other girl stated. "I don't know who any of you are or the circumstances as to how Sage met you... and I don't think I'm meant to. What I do know is that all of you are people my younger brother regards and trusts as friends...good friends, and for that I am grateful."</p><p>Mia quietly hung up the phone despondently. She wished she could explain everything to Sage's family, but she couldn't. It was a general unspoken rule among the five warriors that family and loved ones couldn't be involved in their lives as ronin. The more people who knew about the existence of the armors or even who the bearers were, the more danger that existed for all of them.</p><p>Ryo and Rowen often lived alone in their respective homes so there wasn't much that could be used against them. Cye lived on his own, but he still had family in Hagi to worry about for two legitimate reasons. His mother had heart disease and was frequently in ill health. That had been one of the reasons for making the choice of living on his own while he attended High School. His mother had spent several years looking after him and his older sister Sayoko after his father had passed away. Years that had been difficult on her fragile health. Sayoko had taken it upon herself to look after their mother and their family's pottery shop until Cye was able to return home. Fortunately, Sayoko had a fiancé who had agreed to marry into Cye's family. So she wasn't taking care of things alone.</p><p>Kento and Sage both came from and lived with large families. Kento had often expressed interest in the idea of bringing the other ronin to his family's restaurant and just having them there as friends and guests, no Ronin business involved.</p><p>Sage in general preferred to leave his home life and his life as a Ronin far away from each other as possible. With all that had happened, she didn't see any way around it. Yayoi would convey what she could to the rest of the family, but if any of the Date family were to understand what happened…She was sure Sage knew that by giving Mia's number to his older sister he knew his family would become involved in his life as a Ronin.</p><p>Glancing at the bed where Sage lay sleeping, Mia knew in her heart the blond warrior was undergoing another fight. He had faced internal battles before, but this time it was worse than the one where the other Ronin sensed he had been in a serious accident. Reaching into the pocket of her pants she pulled out the green armor orb that could only have been the Armor of Halo. The orb had turned a dulled-shade of green while the virtue of courtesy that resided within it glowed listlessly. Without a word, she put the orb down on the nightstand before she settled down on top of the bed where Yuli lay sleeping and tried to make some effort at getting some rest herself.</p><p>Ryo and Kento watched from afar as a group of EMT's loaded a body bag containing Luna's corpse into the ambulance. Silently they turned and walked away, Ryo sighed through his nose as he let his feet lead him wherever.</p><p>"Hey," Kento said in an attempt to break the tense silence. "For what it's worth...I'm sorry."</p><p>"Don't be," Ryo responded.</p><p>"But didn't you have a thing going on with her," Kento asked.</p><p>"Maybe…I don't know," Ryo said. "She liked me...but I don't think it would have been anything. I mean we are both from different countries, I can't live in New York and it's not like she can follow us to Japan. To be in a place that has a language and a culture that you're not all that familiar with. While she could learn to speak Japanese and understand our culture and traditions, I don't think it would ever truly be home for her just like America will never be home for me."</p><p>"Not to mention Sage technically killed her brother so that would have made things rather awkward." Kento off-handedly commented. Ryo stopped and angrily rounded on the Chinese boy.</p><p>"Don't ever say that," Ryo stated. "Sage didn't kill anyone, everything that happened was all Shikaisen's doing!"</p><p>"But it was Sage's armor that did it." Kento pointed out.</p><p>"And *he* has to live with that," Ryo said, a tone of bitter hatred in his voice. Kento went quiet as he realized what Ryo's words meant. It was just the same as if someone else picks up a gun and kills someone with it, the person the gun belonged to would be seen as no less guilty of the crime then the person who committed the act.</p><p>Shikaisen was using Sage's armor to kill those people for his own pleasure and power. The blond-haired warrior was an unwilling participant in all this, but he still was the one supplying the weapon used.</p><p>The Warrior of Hardrock mentally wanted to kick himself for the angry statement he had made at the burger shop in New York. At the time he had been angry about how Luna had attacked his uncle's restaurant so she could try and murder Rowen. And even more upset that Ryo had let her go and Cye was willing to allow it.</p><p>"What's more is the name of the Ronin Warriors is tarnished because one of us decided to go rogue," Kento remembered himself saying while he was still in the throws of his angry rant. It was no wonder Rowen threw him a horrified look when he had said that.</p><p>Sage was one of his closest friends among the five of them, if anything the blue-haired archer knew the swordsman better then any of them had. Even when they had been informed about that news report by Mia, Rowen had been the one who adamantly refused to believe Sage would do anything like that...not on his own.</p><p>"This…" Rowen started to respond, his voice sounded confused as though he was trying to figure out where to even begin with the myriad of thoughts and emotions that were filling his mind. "None of this makes any sense. This couldn't possibly be Sage doing these killings, he hates evil. The only way he would turn towards it is if something was forcing him to."</p><p>"Well the guy does have a tendency to take things too seriously," Kento remarked. "I guess it's not all that surprising that he'd snap."</p><p>"Why you…" Rowen snarled as he grabbed the front of Kento's dress shirt. The bearer of Hardrock was almost taken aback by the level of hostility the normally laid back archer was displaying.</p><p>"Hold on, Kento," Cye had chided as he and Mia defused things. "We don't know for certain if it even is Sage that has been committing these murders. I don't want to believe that it is him, but unfortunately…" He heaved a heavy sigh before he looked sorrowfully towards Rowen and Mia. "Unfortunately, everything seems to appear that he is the one doing it. If he's not the one that is doing these crimes, then the only possible way that I could think someone else could control the Halo Armor is if its current bearer was dead. But even then..."</p><p>"No," Rowen firmly shook his head as though he refused to entertain the possibility that the Warrior of Halo was gone. "He's alive...He has to be, we all sensed when he was in that accident before. We would have known if he had died."</p><p>"New York is a long way from here," Mia pointed out. She was clearly concerned about what could have happened to Sage, but she didn't want to jump to conclusions. "Probably far enough away from all of you to make it impossible for you to sense each other through your armors. The only thing we know for sure is that Ryo is going to go to New York by himself to try and find him. It will take him a couple of days to get a passport if he can expedite it, so that should buy us a little time. Rowen, you and I should head to New York as soon as possible. Perhaps we can figure out what may have happened."</p><p>"Right," Rowen responded, sounding more level headed then he had in the past fifteen minutes. "We also might want to get in contact with Sage's family and learn more about this New York trip. You can bet that if he was already supposed to have arrived home by now, they are more than a little concerned about what could have happened to him."</p><p>"Leave Ryo to Kento and myself," Cye volunteered. "Be sure to keep us filled in on what you learn from Sage's family. If he's in trouble and I have a feeling of dread this may be the case, we won't be any help to him if we go into this blindly. "</p><p>Luna and those people in New York had lost their lives because of Shikaisen. And Sage had to live with the knowledge his armor was used for it. Worse yet, what Rowen had been saying last night about what would happen if their armors became common knowledge.</p><p>He hated leaving his family out of the loop when it came to their armors and their lives as Ronin Warriors. He was sure both Sage and Cye also had some misgivings about keeping their loved ones in the dark, but it was only to protect them and keep them out of danger. The fewer people who knew about them, the better. Luna had been living proof of what happened to people who involved themselves in their lives as Ronin.</p><p>That scientist who had been working for Shikaisen was studying Sage's armor, for his own ends as much as he was for Shikaisen. Possibly hoping to make a quick buck in claiming he had discovered whatever metal alloy that the armors were made out of and selling it to the military. Fortunately for them, the armors were not something that could be replicated. Unfortunately, the scientists' computer was able to scan and power of the armors and use that power against them. If the armors themselves were marketed for the US or any country to use for their own advantage then all their battles against the Dynasty were for nothing.</p><p>Sage had been the one to experience all this. As Rowen had said, Sage hated lies and evil, he would never have turned towards something he hated unless he was forced to. Sage had the most focused mind out of all of them, but even that had to be severely tested. Even Rowen hadn't been sure he would have been able to withstand any of the stuff Shikaisen and his scientist buddy was putting Sage through. Which said a lot as Rowen himself also was one of the ones who stubbernly refused to give into enemies demands. The archer certainly had a tenacity that rivaled Sage's on any given day. If Rowen wasn't certain he could face the same things Sage had experienced, then what chance did the rest of them have.</p><p>Kento sighed in dismay, to this day he felt he owed the blond swordsman for everything he did when they had been prisoners of the Dynasty. Cye was trying to remain calm and positive in the face of uncertainty, which wasn't an easy task for the Warrior of Torrent given all the torture they were enduring. Kento on the other hand felt the temptation of letting his frustration get the better of him. He couldn't understand how Sage could be so calm through all they were going through. They knew Ryo and Rowen were coming for them, which gave them some hope. But two Ronin against the forces of the entire Dynasty, with the Warlords, Kyura, and possibly Talpa himself. The odds didn't look good, and all the three of them could do was hang there and wait until an opportunity to aid their friends came to them. If one even came.</p><p>"If you give up now, you'll be doing exactly what Talpa wants you to do," Sage had calmly stated. "So don't, we can't let him win. If we wait our chance will come." Kento just couldn't believe in Sage's unshakable faith that their remaining companions would come for them. He had never taken much stock in things such as meditation, it just felt pointless. He preferred action, he wanted to do something, he was itching to pound his fists into Dais's face. He was determined to fight, while all Sage could do was tell them to be patient like he knew what was going to happen. He and Ryo could have been mentally communicating as far as they knew. And probably weren't letting him and Cye in on it because they weren't part of their sword wielders club or whatever connection they were privy to.</p><p>It was only when they were moved to that sub-dungeon level dungeon and began to feel their consciousness being absorbed by their armors. It was only then Cye's resolve began to waver and any faith their friends would find them in time faded. Kento had to agree, by the time Ryo or Rowen found them they could be too late.</p><p>"Just focus on your families," Sage had said, vigilantly remaining calm despite the harrowing situation they all faced. "Hold their faces in your hearts and believe you will see them again."</p><p>It was only when Rowen had fallen in the battles that waged outside that Sage had let his calm resilience falter. But even then as much as Kento felt antsy and frustrated at their imprisonment. Cye and himself would have more than likely not have survived being imprisoned in the Dynasty if Sage hadn't been there for them. They would have given in to the despair and frustration the Dynasty was filling their hearts with. For that, the Warrior of Hardrock was extremely grateful for the Warrior of Halo, and he wished he could ease the suffering he would face.</p><p>They all wanted to believe that Sage did have the strength to move past all this. But as Rowen pointed out, this event with Shikaisen had been a huge blow to the swordsman's spirit. He would be haunted by his role in these events for years.</p><p>Even now he could feel through the armors that the blond-haired boy was in a delicate mentality. They had helped Sage face his inner demons before, but at that time things had been different. Those inner demons had been personal doubts and fears the swordsman carried with him. The ones plaguing him now, if they handled this wrong, they may as well be handing the Warrior of Halo a sword and tell him to use it to commit seppuku.</p><p>Ryo suddenly paused and looked up, his deeply tanned skin going several shades of pale as his eyes widened in horror. Kento was going to ask the other boy what was up as well when he felt it, they could feel Sage fading from them. Rowen and Cye's armor connections were both frantic with worry.</p><p>"We need to get to the hotel, right way," Ryo said, casting a brief glance towards Kento.</p><p>"Right," the other boy said. As the two of them took off dawning their sub-armor to boost their speed. ~Hang on, Sage. Your friends are here for you, we won't let you go. Not without a fight.~</p><hr/><p>Sage could feel his friends around him, but he wasn't ready to face them. Did his armor still have its virtue after everything? His mind thought back to how he even got here. It all started with that notice his grandfather had received.</p><p>"You summoned me, Sensei," Sage had said as he entered the meeting room of the Date Dojo. He had just finished instruction on his last class for the day and was ready to take a shower so he could change out of the forest green hakama and gi he was wearing.</p><p>Kneeling at the low table with his grandfather was his mother and older sister. Both dressed their Hakama and Gi as well. If they were involved in this meeting the matter had to be serious.</p><p>"You may join us." His grandfather indicated the empty place at the table where a steaming cup of pu-erh tea rested. Sage bowed and settled himself at the table. Picking up the teacup he took a sip. He winced at the flavor, the tea was strong and bitter. Far too bitter for his liking, still he gracefully accepted the drink he had been offered. He had learned from experience what rejecting or expressing dislike for something offered to him would result in and it was not something that needed to be experienced more than once.</p><p>"I requested your presence because I received this notice." Grandfather Date had said as he pushed a note card towards his grandson. Putting down the cup of tea, Sage picked up the notice and read it's contents. He tensed slightly as Yayoi moved closer so she could read the notice from over his shoulder. His relationship with her had become more cordial over the past years, but that didn't mean he had forgiven her for the way she had tormented him when he had been a young child.</p><p>"It says a sword with our family crest was found at Columbia University," Yayoi responded as she returned to her seat.</p><p>"Yes," Grandfather Date said.</p><p>"Strange," Sage's mother commented. "We have records of all the swords associated with our family, and none of them to my knowledge has been listed as missing."</p><p>"Precisely Mother," Yayoi responded. "This sword they found is obviously a fake or maybe the symbol on the sword has the Uesugi-clan symbol and they just mistook it for our clan's crest. It's an easy mistake since both symbols do have two sparrows facing each other. And they are cousins to ours through marriage so there is also error by associations.</p><p>"Regardless this is a diplomatic matter," Grandfather Date said. "A representative from our family should be sent to verify this sword and its connection to our family."</p><p>"You intend for me to represent the family," Sage said. He had an uneasy feeling about the notice, his mother had brought up some points that were correct. All swords under their family name were present and accounted for. There were also books that had held images of various komon symbols both as recorded images and royalty-free designs. Columbia University was a prestigious collegiate-institution...why would a student need to point out the Date Family crest when their Asian history department would already possess the tools and documents to know what those symbols were. Also studying the mystic features of a sword...that felt like an odd thing for a university to be doing research on. Swords were used in rituals on occasion, but they weren't mystical. He also knew what true mystical swords were like and such knowledge or power didn't belong in the hands of normal humans for any reason.</p><p>"I'm sure the "Young Master" has better things to do than waste his time on something so trivial." Yayoi stated."Send me to represent the family, I'm just as qualified."</p><p>"No!" Grandfather Date said in a commanding tone. "As chosen heir, your brother must go as a representative of our family."</p><p>"At the risk of being disrespectful," Sage responded, though he carefully chose his words. "I do find some things in the notice to be suspect. It is possible that the people who sent this actually do possess ill intentions."</p><p>"Sage does raise a good point." His mother had said. "This could be intended as an act of aggression towards our family. Are you sure you want to put your grandson at risk? Perhaps there is a way of contacting the university and verifying before he makes the trip"</p><p>"I have already sent word to the sender that a representative would pay him a visit," Grandfather Date said in a tone that made it clear that his decision was final. "It would be of great disrespect to ignore this request."</p><p>"I understand, Grandfather," Sage answered. Though he wished the older man would have taken the time to consider his words. The blond-haired teenager could feel in his heart a sense of dread, the same dread he knew his friends felt before they entered a battle with the Dynasty. Finishing his tea he stood up, respectively bowed, and took his leave.</p><p>The shower wasn't the relaxing experience he had been looking forward to as his mind rolled a mile per minute. If this was what he feared it could be, how would the other ronin learn he was in trouble and needed their help. He could tell them what was going on, maybe they might agree to accompany him. He quickly dismissed that thought, how could he expect them to disrupt their lives based on a hunch. They'd tell him he was just being paranoid or taking things too seriously. Even if they believed his suspicions could mean something, they couldn't just travel to another country because something might happen. He could end up exposing them to the same torment that whoever had planned for him.</p><p>Getting dried off and changed, he began packing up what things he would need to take with him such as his passport, wallet, a couple of changes of clothes. Satsuki knocked on his bedroom door to tell him that someone was on the phone for him, thanking his younger sister he immediately answered.</p><p>It was Mia informing him that Kento was planning a surprise birthday celebration for Ryo and wanted to know if he would be attending. This was it, Mia could be a contact point. He informed her that he had been requested to go to New York on family business, but if "things went planned" he would be back in time to join in the celebration. Rowen at the very least could pick up the veiled statement as a clue that something was up.</p><p>Once he got off the phone, he quickly penned down Mia's phone number. By giving her this number, it meant he was consciously involving his family in his life as a Ronin. But, there wasn't any other option. He could only pray that everything would be as it was believed and he would be back in Japan without incident. But he had a feeling deep in his chest that told him that whatever this was, would be centered on the Ronin Armors. His own armor would be a target that demons from the netherworld would hold a particular interest in, Kale had certainly taken pleasure in trying to destroy him when he had been a Warlord under Talpa's control. And it had taken the Netherworld Emperor himself to capture the blond swordsman, even though he also didn't deny he had foolishly left himself open to be captured by him.</p><p>Walking down the hall he stopped at his older sister's room, knocking lightly on the door he waited for her to permit him to enter.</p><p>"Okay," Yayoi said looking up from the medical textbook she had been reading as Sage entered. Picking up a pack of cigarettes she went to go stand by her open bedroom window to light one. Acknowledging her younger brother's dislike for the smell of burning tobacco. "Now I know something is bugging you."</p><p>"You heard Grandfather," Sage responded. "His decision is final."</p><p>"Screw Grandfather and his antiquated mindset," Yayoi said harshly as she inhaled a drag of her cigarette before releasing a cloud of smoke out the open window. "Sometimes I wonder if he cares more about our family's reputation more than our family itself. If you feel this whole thing is suspicious, then perhaps it is. You've always had a good intuition, so if something feels off to you it isn't without a good reason."</p><p>"I was wanting to leave something with you before I left in the morning," Sage said as he handed the slip of paper to his sister. "This is the phone number of one of the friends I made a couple of years ago." The older girl looked at the number and nearly choked on her cigarette as she saw the name associated with it.</p><p>"Wait...is this…" Yayoi said "Are you...is this a 'girls' phone number?"</p><p>"It's a phone number of a friend," Sage stated, not wanting to make a big deal about this. "Who just happens to be a girl."</p><p>"But, you…" Yayoi commented. "You actually talked with and got to know a girl. You usually can't be anywhere near anyone female without tensing up."</p><p>"I don't believe I need to remind you that I do have you to thank for that." Sage firmly said. He wasn't in the mood to put up with his older sisters teasing. "The reason I gave you that number is just in case something happens to me. Mia's a contact point, I have other friends aside from her."</p><p>"Okay," Yayoi said, raising an eyebrow. She did have a knack of knowing when her brother was not telling her the full truth. She didn't pry because he probably had reason to keep these secrets.</p><p>Still, there were some things that just felt off to her ever since they had been children. There was all that training Grandfather was putting him through since he took Sage's upbringing into his own hands. The older man insisted he was preparing Sage for the day he would become his successor. But to Yayoi, it always seemed that grandfather was preparing him for a feudal war not for when he would eventually inherit the Dojo.</p><p>Sage also had started acting strange ever since...ever since that match with Shingo Kazamatsuri. It had started with going off by himself at night, when he did come back he would be completely exhausted to the point that he would sleep through his alarm in the morning. There were times he'd be late to morning meditation which would mean he would be making a visit to the basement until dinner after he came home from school.</p><p>Then there was that summer two years ago when he had said he was going to Tokyo and visit some high schools and colleges he was interested in attending. Grandfather had allowed it but still made it clear he did have the final say in Sage's continuing education.</p><p>When Sage had returned home two weeks later at their grandfather's demand his return. He didn't go into details about what he had seen and done while visiting Tokyo. He just claimed that he felt that the places he looked at were not what he expected they would be. And the people he encountered were not the sort of people you kept ties to. She had been out at a local summer festival with some of her old friends when her mother and younger sister frantically ran up and informed her that Sage had been in an accident.</p><p>From what their mother had told her was that he had been making his way to the festival with a former student of theirs known as Youko and her daughter Reiko. Yayoi had recognized the name as someone she had been friendly toward before she had left for Tokyo. The two of them used to have fun teasing Sage because of how flustered he would get because of it. It was something they found great amusement in.</p><p>A ball that Youko's daughter had with her was dropped and rolled into the street. When the child had raced into the street to go retrieve it, Sage had rushed out after her and pushed her out of the way of an oncoming motorcycle. Unfortunately, he had been severely injured as a result. Yayoi was instructed to return home with Satsuki immediately and wait for news about his condition.</p><p>When they did hear news from their parents it was to learn that he would be alright. It had been touch and go for a time, but the Doctor had assured them he would be fine. The only injuries he had sustained were a compound fracture in his left leg, at least three broken ribs, a cracked collarbone, and a dislocated shoulder. He had been released from the hospital a couple of days later, in somewhat better spirits then he had been when he returned home just days ago.</p><p>He also seemed to recover from his injuries rather quickly, far quicker then he should have been able to. He had to walk around aided by an assistance cane for only a day surprisingly and then had a slight limp for a few days afterward. Even the doctors and physical therapists had been impressed with the progress, they had been expecting at least three months' worth of recovery.</p><p>Yayoi had been in class when they had come, but two boys who claimed to be friends that Sage had met while he was in Tokyo had arrived to see him. The two of them didn't stay long, but Sage did seem to be lightened somehow by their visit. Before long he was fully recovered and back in training shape. After he had recovered he had spoken with their grandfather and both of their parents. Informing them that he needed to return to Tokyo. He had made some friends in Tokyo, and his departure had been rather sudden. He had some matters with them that needed resolving, and he couldn't let things remain as they stood.</p><p>"If we don't hear from you within a certain amount of time I call this number, right?" Yayoi asked.</p><p>"Mia is likely to contact you first," Sage responded, "If it isn't her, then the call would be from Rowen. He's another one of my friends. If you don't hear anything within a span of five days, then please contact that number."</p><p>When he had arrived in New York, his suspicions that this had all been a ruse to lure him into a trap began to ring in his mind. It started with the sense he was being followed, he could make out the beings following him at a distance. They were all dressed in what appeared to be Ninja garb, but he had the impression they were similar to the Dynasty Soldiers. Low-level foes that were only meant to wear him down before he could face whoever was controlling them. There were too many people around for him to summon his armor and face them. What they were waiting for was for the chance to overpower him and take him as prisoner.</p><p>They would have no qualms about attacking the innocent people who were around him, but they seemed more curious about what he would do in regards to them. He continued walking and turned down a side street where there were fewer people, as he suspected, the number of them had doubled so he had six of these ninja beings following him now. He was being herded, he couldn't stop though, he had to get someplace where he could summon his armor and face them. He didn't know who was seeking his capture, but whoever it was, they would learn they had picked out one of the wrong Ronin to mess with. Just as they would learn in time that the Ronin Warriors themselves were a force that would not be controlled by evil.</p><p>Ducking down an empty side street he summoned the Armor of Halo, that was the moment the beings pursuing him were waiting for as they launched into attack. They were certainly stronger and faster then the Dynasty soldiers had been, but they were not undefeatable.</p><p>"Who are you?!" Sage had demanded as he faced off against them. He had already taken down two of the Ninja and was taking on a third "Why have you come for me?!"</p><p>"We serve the Dark Sorcerer, Shikaisen," One of the Ninja soldiers stated. "Our master desires your armor for himself."</p><p>"You can tell your master," Sage firmly answered. "That the Armor of the Halo will serve no one."</p><p>"Foolish brat," A craggy voice hissed. "You honestly believe you have a choice, the beings you have faced before are nothing compared to the great Shikaisen." After a muttered spell he was down in seconds, his body restrained as though heavy chains were bound around him.</p><p>"It's hard to believe a mystic armor is in this boy's possession." Another voice spoke. A voice he would come to associate with the scientist. "I can't wait to study its properties."</p><p>"I have witnessed the power of his armor once," Shikaisen said. "But he barely taps into its full potential, once I have it in my possession, I will unleash the true power of the Halo Armor upon this world. With your technology and my mystic arts I will know all this boy's secrets and his armor will be mine."</p><p>The days passed slowly as the torture began. The Scientist's words intoning in his mind, goading him into giving in and just submitting to what he wanted, while the Scientists computer and Shikaisen's mystic power forced him to reveal and use the power of his armor. Part of him wondered if Yayoi would have done what he had asked of her. An ingrained hope that his companions would learn what happened to him and find him before it was too late, that was the only thing he had to cling to as he withstood the endless days of torment and suffering. Yet part of him prayed he was never found by his companions, Shikaisen seemed to only know that one mystical armor existed. If he learned about the other four... If he wanted to possess them, the only ones standing in his way were the other Ronin. He could still find ways to lure them to his hideout. The Halo Armor was passed down through his family, if he were to expire, would the others feel his passing, would the Armor of Halo choose to bide its time until it found another person in the Date Clan worthy of possessing it. Or will it see Shikaisen as it's new master? He prayed it was the former and not the later.</p><p>He could feel when Shikaisen used his armor against that group of people. They may not exactly have been innocent people, but they were still normal humans. The moment he felt his armor crush the skulls of two of them. He knew...he knew he no longer had the right to call himself a Ronin Warrior. His days of wearing the Armor of Halo and fighting alongside his companions were done. How could they want him? How could they see him as anything but a disgrace to the name of the Ronin Warriors? While it was Shikaisen who was controlling the armor, it was still *his* armor that was taking the lives of those people. The Armor of Halo was tainted with evil, it may as well have lost the connection to its guiding virtue. Still, he couldn't give in to Shikaisen's desires, if he gave up he would only fall into the Dark Sorcerers' hands. As long as he still breathed he would cling to the hope his older sister would come through for him. Cling to the belief his companions would find him, once they showed the Dark Sorcerer the true power of the Ronin Warriors would allow himself to be claimed by death's dark embrace. If they didn't then he would continue to resist until they succeed in breaking him or he died under torture. Either way, the Sage Date they had known and fought alongside no longer existed.</p><p>Days later he could feel his armor facing off against...Rowen and Kento? His friends had come to find him. As glad as he was to know that Yayoi had come through for him, having them in the streets of New York meant they had just revealed that more mystical armors existed. They could be captured like he had been or worse killed. Next to Wildfire and Strata, the Halo Armor had one of the most devastating attacks. There was no telling if their own armors would be enough to protect them against its power.</p><p>~No, Run! Forget about me, save yourselves!~ He mentally cried out to them over their connection through the Armors. Shikaisen had either silenced his cries or he was no longer able to reach his companions as he felt his armor preparing to unleash its ultimate attack upon them. Rowen and Kento tried to avoid being hit by the searing blast of energy, but they weren't able to get out of its path fast enough. Both were stuck head-on, but Rowen had taken the full brunt of the attack. Their full armors had shielded them, fortunately, otherwise, they may not have been quite as lucky. Sage still felt their pain as if it was their own, and Rowen's injuries to be sure were serious.</p><p>Each day slowly passed slowly into the next, he had lost track of how long it had been trapped here underground. It felt like years or months, but he knew in his heart it wasn't that long. He turned to using meditation to help him endure the endless rounds of torture as he had when he was a prisoner of the Dynasty. But even then he could feel his body weakening. He didn't know how long he had left, but he would be lost if things continued.</p><p>During one of the moments, he had come out of his meditative trance to assess things. He was feigning unconsciousness to hide that he was listening to them. And what he was hearing made him feel sick to his stomach. They were planning on using the power of his armor to attack an entire Matsuri festival of innocent people, men, women, and children who were only wanting to enjoy a cultural event. The death toll would be in the hundreds, maybe thousands, without mystic armor to protect them all that would be left would be ashes.</p><p>"It won't be much longer now, Shikaisen," The Scientist confidently said. "It's just a matter of time before the mind disrupter takes effect and he is ours. But his will power is impressive, I wouldn't have thought he'd last this long. We would release him if he would only wear the armor and let me measure its true mystical power, but he refuses."</p><p>Shikaisen said something about capturing prisoners from New York, but who. It wasn't Rowen or Kento, both Ryo and Cye had helped them get away...so that meant...oh no...not them. He didn't want them to watch as the devastating power of his armor slaughtered countless innocents. He struggled to hold back the power of his armor and fought to resist Shikaisen's mystic power as it struck out, absorbing his armor's energy reserves but the screams of terror when they came...he knew he had failed. Mothers screaming for their children, children crying out in fear for their parents, lovers trying to shield their partners from the onslaught, siblings reaching out for one another in an act of desperation as the power of the Halo Armor rained its devastation.</p><p>"No! Stop!" Mia's voice cried out in protest at the sight of the mass murder he was involved in.</p><p>"Most of the armor's energy is untapped," Shikaisen gloated. "Imagine the power when it's all mine."</p><p>He could feel his companions nearby, they had finally come, but Shikaisen had noticed them as well and would launch an attack against them. Once again he had allowed himself to fall into a meditative trance, he was severely weakened, but he wasn't out of the fight...not yet. He had to harber his armor's energy until it was needed.</p><p>Before too long gentle arms cradled him as they eased him off the six-pointed star that had been his prison. He could feel his companions' elation to have finally found him, but also sorrow and fear. As well as a measure of anger, hatred, a desire to see those responsible pay with their lives for what they have done.</p><p>"Sage…" A voice said. A voice that he would recognize anywhere...Rowen's voice. Painfully he opened his eyes and was met with the concerned ultramarine eyes of the blue-haired archer.</p><p>"You guys...found me." Sage had responded, a relieved smile crossed his face at the sight of one of the people he had grown to look to and love as a brother.</p><p>"We're all here for you, buddy." Rowen said the anxiety in his voice lessened. Unfortunately, Sage's fears were founded again as his friends had been suspended from those mystic stars like he had. Their armors would be studied by the Scientist's computer and everything would be for not.</p><p>It was that girl his friends had brought with them who had saved them. While he had not met her, when she had stuck out at Shikaisen she had screamed "This is for my brother!". Could her brother have been one of those people his armor had killed in New York? What was worse is she was obviously someone that Ryo had cared about, given how he had reacted when she perished in his arms. The tears the Warrior of Wildfire had shed for her were not tears brought on by infatuation, it was more the love of a brother for a sister. This unknown girl could have just as easily been one of Kento's siblings or worse, his own younger sister, Satsuki. A sentiment that he could feel also coming from Cye and Kento. Rowen was an only child, but the Ronin Warriors were his brothers just as much as they were his friends. He felt their pain and horror as though it was his own.</p><p>Shikaisen viciously gloated about how Luna was bound to die eventually, so there was no point in grieving for her.</p><p>"Only someone who was dead inside would believe that kind of garbage." Kento had snarled. Ryo immediately stood up and summoned his armor as tears flew from his eyes. Shikaisen had once again dwelled in his overconfidence about how despite they had their mystic armor and they were also mortal.</p><p>However, the Dark Sorcerer quickly learned that Ryo was also a Ronin you didn't want to mess with. He screamed as his body melted into fleshy tentacles. There was no pity for the Scientist when he was killed, the maniacal way he was talking proved that his mind was broken with everything he had witnessed. Shikaisen merged with the computer creating a form that resembled Talpa. A figure he intended to unnerve them.</p><p>Kento tried to attack but the computer only focused his attack back at him. Cye was about to attack as well, but Rowen stopped him pointing out that Shikaisen was only using the Data he collected on the other armors against them. Sage immediately jumped onto what the Archer was suggesting. Using the power of the Inferno Armor to destroy Shikaisen and his reign of evil once and for all. That was the only armor he was not prepared for.</p><p>In moments it was over...or was it. Shikaisen was immortal and quite powerful. Could he truly be destroyed so simply?</p><p>"So you figured it out," Shikaisen's voice cackled maliciously from the shadows up ahead. "I left a piece of my spirit inside your mind should you or your foolish friends manage to defeat me. Once I've absorbed your life energy, I'll be able to reform myself in the mortal world. You brats haven't won, you have only delayed the inevitable. Once you are gone, your friends will be unable to summon that white armor to use against me and I'll claim their armors for myself."</p><p>"If you kill me," Sage responded. "The Armor of Halo will not be claimed by you."</p><p>"Foolish brat," Shikaisen taunted. "The Halo Armor is powerful, but I wouldn't have sought your capture if I had known I was wasting my time on a worthless underling. I no longer require the power of your armor, It is the Armor of Inferno that I want. I have enough skill in the mystic arts to replicate your role in its creation.</p><p>The fleshy tentacles shot out from out of the darkness. There were too many and they struck out too fast for the swordsman to fight them off. His best hope was to turn and retreat, plan out some other way to beat him.</p><p>The dark tunnels of his mind suddenly changed, to images and memories of his armor and the power of his armor taking the lives of the thugs in New York and the innocent people at that matsuri festival.</p><p>"You think your pathetic companions will accept you after what you've done?" Shikaisen taunted. "You're a monster, your armor has been tainted, your hands are stained with the blood of these worthless mortals. You can blame me all you like, but it was the power of your armor that took the lives of these people. You signed their death warrants the day you agreed to wear the Armor of Halo."</p><p>Sage stopped running and looked about him in horror. All the innocent people who had been slaughtered by the power of his armor. All of them screaming out in fear, terror etched on their faces as they watched their loved ones vaporized to nothing but ashes. A security guard shielding a woman and her two children from the blast of green energy only for them to meet their end as one of the blasts struck them. An elderly couple hobbling for safety, the old man reaching out towards his wife before the green blasts of energy engulfed him, the discharge of the blast destroying the old woman as well. A trio of gothic-lolita raced down the street, tears causing streaks of mascara to race down their cheeks as they tried to get away from the festival. One of the girls screamed their friends' names as one of her friends was caught in the blast. Another one of the girls was tripped up by the heavy platform soles of her shoes, and caught in the blast that took out a group of people that were running for their lives. The final girl among the lolita trio could only fall to the ground and give grief-filled maniacal laugh as the world around her burned and accepted death as it came for her.</p><p>Sage dropped to his knees at the horrific sights around him. His shoulder shook as he felt tears well up in his eyes. Shikaisen was right, he had killed these people. The Armor of Halo no longer served the good of the world. The only way to pay the piper for bearing his armor was to let his life end. And spend all of eternity bowed in apology to the innocent people he had murdered. Shikaisen's flesh tentacles wrapped around him like a spider wrapping an insect in its web and dragged him away into the darkest reaches of his mind with a triumphant laugh.</p>
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